- Safiu Kehinde
The 2027 Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, has admitted to the impossibility of providing uninterrupted electricity supply across Nigeria within four years.
Obi maintained that the country’s power infrastructure cannot be built overnight.
The former Anambra state governor made this known while speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television on Sunday.
Obi said constructing power plants and upgrading transmission networks require years to complete.
This, according to him, makes a nationwide 24-hour electricity supply within a single four-year term unattainable.
“24-hour electricity within 4 years is impossible. If you want to build a power plant, it takes about 4 years. Improving transmission lines also takes years.” He said
Obi pledged that if elected, his administration would ensure Nigeria can generate, transmit, and distribute at least 10,000 megawatts of electricity within four years.
“But within 4 years, we will ensure we can generate, transmit, and distribute not less than 10,000 Megawatts.” He said.
On how that will be achieved, the ex-Anambra governor disclosed plan to adopt embedded power projects, citing Geometric Power in Aba as a successful model that can be replicated across the country to boost industrial development.
“We will do it through embedded power. Look at what Geometric Power is doing in Aba—we need to replicate that in locations like Kano to drive the industries in Bompai and Sharada.” He said.
Obi also called for the settlement of the trillions of naira owed to electricity generation companies, saying restoring confidence in the sector is essential to attracting investment.
“Today, the government owes generating companies trillions of Naira. We must pay them.
“Our politics must change; if I don’t deliver what I promise, I will come out and explain to the people what is going wrong.” He said.
Meanwhile, the presidential hopeful reiterated his single-term promise, stressing that he only needs four years to show Nigeria the path.
“I don’t need more than four years to show the path Nigeria will take.
”It’s a simple thing.
“And I say it again: I will serve for four years — full stop. If you want me, it’s four years, full stop — not a day more,” he said.